On Monday (July 2nd), I gave the following speech to Newark City Council to support my demands for their action in demanding the impeachment of the BOOsh Regime:

"Our initial thought would be to assume that heinous crimes against humanity would never be perpetrated by an American, let alone encouraged by an out of control regime in pursuit of unlimited power, but numerous reports that I have discovered over the past few years, detail a horror story of nightmarish proportions. This is one of the few presentations that I hoped to never deliver, but the lack of action by this council has forced a change of plans. 

 According to Janis Karpinski, former and disgraced General charged with overseeing proceeds at Abu Ghraib; ex-Defense Secretary Rumsfeld personally authorized torturous techniques including sleep deprivation, painfully loud music, and uncomfortable positions to stand and sit in for long durations of time by adding a side note to the details of these methods insisting that his underlings “make sure this happens.” This is a violation of the Geneva Conventions which states “Any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him... information or a confession, punishing him for an act he... has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him.” Like it or not, this is the law of the land in our country, by mandate of Article VI of the Constitution, because this treaty was ratified by Congress. Rumsfeld eventually took the blame for the atrocities committed at Abu Ghraib, but two attempts he made to resign afterwards were refused by Bush; as the Decider decided that Rumsfeld was the best man for the job. Shouldn’t that trouble us? 

 I wish I could tell you that this is all that has transpired, but the testimony of an ex-prisoner will detail otherwise. The Washington Post shared in May 2004 the story of Mr. Al-Sheik, detainee No. 151362 whom said that his guards told him they’d make him yearn for death but he wouldn’t get it. His horror story continues as he reminisced how he was stripped naked and after a female image was drawn on his back, he was forced to stand in a “shameful position” holding his buttocks as he was told that he and his wife would face sexual assault by the hands of one particular guard. The guards then profanely expressed their contempt for him and his religion. He was warned that he wasn’t getting out healthy, but handicapped instead. He then recalled: "They ordered me to thank Jesus that I'm alive, (but) I said to him, 'I believe in Allah.' So he said, 'But I believe in torture and I will torture you.” None of this is acceptable, but it continues and is apparently supported by this administration. 

 The Guardian reported that Major General Geoffrey Miller, whom oversaw military camps and jails from Guantanamo to Iraq, confirmed that 50-oddly special “interrogation techniques” could be used on detainees, and that his purpose was to extract as much information as possible from the detained. An Executive Order issued in the spring of 2004, was uncovered through the Freedom of Information Act and explicitly authorized commanding officers to utilize sleep deprivation, attack dogs, hoods, loud music, stress positions and the removal of clothing in the interrogation of the detained.  Some took it a step further, desecrating the Quran in front of detainees in more ways than one, including the use of fecal matter. Other techniques involved urinating on the detained, pouring acid on them, the use of a baton to sodomize, tying ropes to their private parts and legs to drag them across the floor, and even forcing them to engage each other sexually.

 When the administration isn’t ordering the use of enhanced interrogation techniques; they authorize the CIA to rendition suspects to countries that condone torture.  Among these nations were Syria, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan...

 The Christian Science Monitor reported, as I mentioned a while back ago, how a Canadian man was in New York en route back to his home country from the Middle East when he was apprehended by our government and then sent to Syria, where he was tortured for almost a year before they released him after determining that they had captured the wrong guy. When the man attempted to sue the Bush Regime for their crimes, they sought to dismiss the case, citing “state secret privilege.” 

 The Washington Post reported how an Arab-German was apprehended in the streets of his home country and sent to Afghanistan where his captors tortured and reportedly told him: “You are here in a country where no one knows about you, in a country where there is no law. If you die, we will bury you, and no one will know.”

 The San Francisco Chronicle reported the Bush Administration’s policy of transporting suspects to Uzbekistan. The troubling thing about this nation is their tendency to implement ruthless tactics such as “beating, often with blunt weapons, and asphyxiation with a gas mask”, but the most discomforting fact comes from knowing a favorite tactic of theirs which involves the practice of boiling a person alive. Two people have reportedly been boiled to death. 

 How can we fight terror with terror? Make no mistake about it; the Geneva Conventions explicitly condemn any leaders, whether military or political, that fails to prevent the use of any illegal practices. If Bush were any other leader of any other country, there’s no doubt in my mind that a widespread call for action would arise from our nation. This is far from everything there is to know, and as long as this council doesn’t act…I’ll be back with more."

Then, after my early departure after speaking where I could actually hear people in the audience and amongst Council actually snickering at the horror stories depicted above, I sent the following e-mail to all members of council upon arriving home:

"The next time I speak at Council, the topic - in yet another 1 1/2 page speech - will be war crimes (other than torture). This will become part of a cycle that will continue from now on, and I don't plan to let up any time soon. I will begin preparations for the speech within the next two weeks, and plan to be as precise as I was tonight.

 Although I wish I could've stayed for the legislation; I hadn't received an agenda (so I was kind of lost as to what was being dealt with) and I was on the verge of losing my mind. Don't think for a second that I am oblivious to the fact that many in attendance and council don't take me seriously. I hear the chuckles and I see the smirks. I'm a joke in the eyes of those that refuse to acknowledge the truth, but I'll be damned if that will stop me. The latest I will stay from this point on is the second opportunity for comment. Reason being that I have no interest in the views of public servants. I'm only interested in action. I don't care if the media covers my efforts, and don't expect them to. I don't even care if my voice is ever heard on television, but I DO CARE THAT ACTION IS TAKEN!! I gave Council one month with a special (albeit small) offer to rebut every allegation I have lined up against the Bush Regime, but all skeptics failed. Those that ignored my challenge either found it unworthy of their time or realized that they couldn't disprove the preponderance of evidence against the bastards that occupy our Federal Executive Branch. I'm growing angry because of this inaction, because of Council's cowardice!! I'm ashamed to have heard members of council snickering at the details of inhumane treatment that has been documented. This is morally reprehensible!! I'll be back in two weeks, with more true/horror stories that the occupied have experienced. I don't give a damn how inconvenient this truth is for anyone in that room, because it is the truth and it must be told. If you find it so offensive, then take action and demand that Congress investigate and Impeach the fascists in control of our government for those crimes!! This message is not merely directed at any individual member of council, but the voting body in its entirety. Our country is dwindling down a dark corridor. We are witnessing the systematic dismantling of our constitution and the checks and balances that were installed to protect us from tyranny. We are witnessing war crimes, illegal wars, torture, warrantless domestic spying, censorship of scientific facts, cronyism, treason, bribery, and what seems to be willful incompetence (just to name a few) all in spite of the rule of law. As I said tonight, this can all end with one simple act of council demanding that Reps. Pat Tiberi and Zack Space move to impeach this dangerous regime."

Much to my surprise, when I came home from work today, I read the following e-mail response from Republican Councilman Don Ellington:

"Daniel,

Don E"

To which I briefly replied...

"YES. I will be absolutely satisfied. That's all I'm asking. Thank you Councilman Ellington. This is a great service to our country."

As long as he keeps his pledge, and that measure passes the Service Committee, all I have to do is show up and demand action once more whilst thanking them for their consideration..."conservative" Newark, Ohio might join the movement soon!!

WHAT AN AWESOME WAY TO CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!